The present invention relates generally to a shoe cleat. More specifically, the present invention relates to an athletic shoe cleat with particular application in the golf shoe industry to provide improved traction control and self-cleaning capabilities.
In the field of athletic shoe cleats, it has been well-known to employ an array of cleat members on the bottom of the athletic shoe to provide improved traction on the playing surface used in the sport being played by the user of the athletic shoe. In particular, it has been well-known to include a series of individual cleat members which can be separately threaded into the sole of the athletic shoe. In the event that one of the cleat members breaks or is lost, it can be easily replaced by attachment of a new cleat member. Typically, athletic shoes include female-threaded receptacles for receiving the individual traction cleats. Each of the cleats commonly include a male-threaded post member for threadable removable connection to the shoe sole.
For example, athletic shoe cleats, such as in the golf industry, typically include a series of cleat members positioned about the bottom of the shoe sole in a particular array to provide traction and a spaced-apart configuration over the shoe sole. Common golf cleats, otherwise known as spikes, have been made of metal material and configured into a single spike structure to provide the necessary traction on the golf course. However, recently, metal golf spikes have fallen into disfavor by golf courses due to the damage that they cause to greens and surrounding areas. The protruding metal spike common to golf shoes is slowly being replaced by alternative spike and traction cleats which provided much less damage to golf courses. Recently, there's been particular need for alternatives to the common metal spike cleats in light of the fact that many golf courses are completely banning their use.
There have been attempts in the prior art to provide an alternative to the metal golf spike. For example, plastic cleats with shorter spike protrusion members have been provided to lessen the overall piercing of the cleats to help reserve the golf courses. These plastic cleats commonly include an array of protrusions positioned over the surface of the cleat to provide the necessary traction. However, these prior art plastic cleats or spikes are typically manufactured of hard plastic resulting in good traction but suffer from the disadvantage of being extremely slippery, not durable or long-wearing, dangerous and subject to being easily packed with dirt requiring frequent cleaning. Also, golf cleats had been provided of a very soft material which suffers from the disadvantages of poor traction and easy breakage of the individual protrusions on the cleat.
A common problem associated with all plastic golf cleats is the difficulty in maintaining the individual golf cleats within their respective female-threaded receptacles in the shoe sole. The use of plastic, particularly soft plastic, is particularly sensitive to high temperatures which results in undesirable creep of the plastic causing thread stripping, thread breakage, and the like. As a result, is not uncommon for plastic cleats to fall out of the respective receptacles requiring frequent replacement. In light of the foregoing, the replacement cleat systems for the older metal spike cleats require significant maintenance and additional associated cost.
Due to the demand for a golf cleat, which can successfully replace metal golf spikes to comply with recent golf regulations, it is desirable for a golf cleat to be made of flexible plastic for comfort while providing superior traction and self-cleaning capabilities to decrease the overall maintenance and associated cost of using such plastic cleats. Is also desirable to provide a golf cleat which not only provides traction on a golf course but safety traction on non-grass and non-sand terrain, such as steps, asphalt, tile, oak and other types of flooring. Is also desirable for a golf cleat to be securely installed in its receptacle on the sole of a golf shoe to avoid the cleat from backing out and being lost. Still further, is desirable that the golf cleat provide superior traction without danger of the protrusions on the cleat being broken off.